POLICE have uncovered a large cannabis factory above a former bank.

Passers-by said they saw a large number of police cars “bombing towards” the property on Sunday afternoon and one witness said that they saw several officers were still at the property earlier today.

A man has been arrested following the discovery.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Police have arrested one man following the discovery of a substantial cannabis factory in Rottingdean.

“Officers were called to a disused building in the High Street at about 1pm on Sunday after suspicious activity was reported.

“Police attended and found a large number of cannabis plants being grown.

“One man, a 27-year-old Brighton resident, was arrested on suspicion of producing class B drugs, driving without insurance and concealing, disguising, converting, transferring and removing criminal property.

“He has been bailed until July 22.”

The building was formerly used as a Lloyds Bank but is now disused.

A witness said: “At about 1.30pm on Sunday I saw four police cars and then eight officers went into the property with their truncheons.

“On Monday I saw officers going into the building wearing rubber gloves, and there was still a police car in the drive today, so they must have been there for at least 48 hours.

“I have been wondering what has been going on, police don’t usually spend 48 hours in Rottingdean, not without good reason.”

Former Brighton and Hove mayor and Rottingdean councillor Lynda Hyde, who stood in the ward for 20 years before stepping down earlier this year, said she was shocked by the discovery.

She said: “In my time as a councillor I was often involved in trying to reduce pollution in Rottingdean High Street.

“But I didn’t expect to have to deal with cannabis in the area.”